This week I got to go into La Fiesta.
La Fiesta is located at the corner of Mariscal and Segundo Ugarte, in historic downtown Juarez.
I know, you’re probably thinking that I’ve led a sheltered life if I’ve never been in the Fiesta before.
Absolutely.
La Fiesta opened in 1954. It was a cabaret dancehall where the biggest acts in the world performed, according to lore.
The cover charge in 1954 was $100, U.S. Back in 1954, you could buy two houses and a Volkswagen for $100, and have enough money to left over to get your shoes shined.
Okay, not quite. But $100 went alot further then than it does now.
Most of the interior features of La Fiesta are made of plaster. Some of it has not withstood the brutal caress of time.
They’re working to restore the joint. I hope it works, as a business proposition. If it doesn’t work as a night club, they could rent it out as a set for music videos, or a vampire movie.
Since you weren’t there, I took a lot of pictures.
I thought it was Mariscal? As I recall, the very famous Erroll Garner (he wrote the song, “Misty”) was killed in a car wreck – somewhere in Arizona or New Mexico – on his way to play a gig at La Fiesta. I saw some decent entertainment there in the very early 70’s, and it was still very impressive then. Lighting had a lot to do with it.
Yeah, Mariscal. Typo.
That’s cool you were there when it was open. I would have loved to have seen it.
As a teen I was invited to La Fiesta many times- our neighbors owned the club-it was a beautiful club, with many good entertainers- wonderful memories!
Earl Grant was a mainstay at La Fiesta
It was a respectable, decent nightclub. I graduated from Austin High School in El Paso in 1961. While at Austin, I was a member of the Spanish National Honor Society. We had a dinner/dance party at La Fiesta every spring.
Was at Texas Western 1959-63. Went many times remember the Kingston trio and the Four guys, and four freshmen.